What do early risers, bakers and routine lovers have in common? They all know the value of a good revival. Many now turn to their Android devices when the need for an alarm arises. Look no further than Android’s default Clock app, which celebrated a billion downloads in 2021.
It’s easy to customize your alarm using the clock. Many of the best smartwatches can even help trigger the alarm from your wrist. If you need something more specific, there are plenty of alternative apps and features that might pique your interest as well. Let’s cut to the chase; hurry up !
How to set an alarm using the clock
The clock comes pre-installed on most Android devices and offers several nifty clock-themed features. These include time displays from any time zone, stopwatch and timer options, and a sleep routine assistant. Of course, it also houses a stylish alarm tool. Follow these steps to set an alarm using Android’s default app.
- Open the The clock application.
- Faucet Alarm in the lower left corner.
- Press the + button near the bottom.
- Select the desired alarm time, then press OKAY.
Congratulations, you have set an alarm! For now, it will only activate once using the default settings. You can still customize alarms after setting them.
How to customize an existing alarm in Clock
The customization of the clock’s alarm is what sets it apart from its analog ancestors. You can set your favorite song as your alarm sound or schedule it later in the week, among other useful options.
- Open the The clock app and press Alarm in the lower left corner to open the alarm page.
- Tap the previously set game Alarm time on the left side and adjust as needed.
- Press the oval next to the set time to activate and deactivate the alarm.
- Press the down/up arrow at the top right to open/close the drop-down menu.
- Faucet Add a label to give the alarm a name, then press OKAY save.
- Select which one days of the week you want to program the alarm.
- Press the bell icon to open the alarm sound options.
- Choose the alarm sound from the Clock options, your own sounds or other compatible applications (Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora, etc.).
- Press the triple stitches top right for more apps or to get To help.
- Faucet Vibrate to activate the vibration alarm.
- Faucet Google Assistant Routine to open the Google Assistant options.
- Choose from various Google Assistant actions (tap + Add action to see more options), then press to safeguard.
- Press the triple stitches for activity checks or to get To help.
- Faucet Wipe off to permanently delete the alarm.
You have now set your alarm to ring at the right time and in the right way. If this alarm system still isn’t up to snuff, there are other apps you might want to check out.
What are the alarm alternatives?
Whether you don’t like the default UI or are looking for a more specific set of features, rest assured that there are plenty of alternative options. Many tick the same boxes as Clock, and some support additional features ranging from sleep tracking to scheduling routines. In particular, several native apps aim to create a more holistic tool. You deserve a digital alarm setup that can do everything you need. Consider the following if you plan to explore options beyond Android’s default.
If you want to use a standard alarm
While Clock is our top choice when it comes to pure alarm tools, there are plenty of good third-party options as well. Most have the same basic functionality while looking for unique user interface designs and specific alarm strategies.
Look for Alarm in the Play Store and scroll down to Clock if you’re ready to explore other apps with additional core features like “wake up missions” or visual customization. Remember that most third-party alarm tools have paid premium versions and require additional permissions.
What about alarms for daily routines?
You might not need to look far if you need features to suit your daily routines. Various apps can help organize and spark important personal habits. Google Assistant and Google Tasks are great native tools that integrate with Clock. While there are decent third-party options, Assistant shines the most due to its particularly useful Assistant Routines component.
This feature will prompt you to start and end programmed diets, providing guidance as needed. Knowing how to use Google Assistant Routines is probably a good call, whichever alarm tool you choose. The icing on the cake is that you won’t have to pay to access the full wizard toolkit.
sleep alarms
Clock’s bedtime routine assistant isn’t bad, but it’s not the gold standard either. Other tools often track your sleep cycles, and some can even wait for the perfect time to wake you up with an alarm. Be aware that most of these alternative tools will require a monthly subscription or a one-time purchase.
Google Fit and Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) can work together as a complete sleep tracking system. Nest Hub includes both alarm and sleep tracking features, while Google Fit provides more detailed sleep analysis. The main downside is that the Nest Hub’s alarm doesn’t wake you up (yet) during lighter sleep cycles. If you’re a chronic alarm snoozer, you might want to explore the full list of third-party sleep trackers that tout smart alarms in the Play Store. Many third-party options offer free limited versions, and many can also be paired with Google Fit.
Easily set alarms
You won’t need to worry the next time you tackle an urgent issue. Say goodbye to those dreaded mishaps and overbaked pies. All you need to do is grab your nearest Android phone or device.
If you’re thinking of getting started with Google Assistant, we recommend that you take the time to familiarize yourself with it. It is never a bad idea to study the countless features available to Android users. Android Police is just around the corner from digital if you need to review the details.